Putter head with maximal moment of inertia

• US 8,251,836 B2
• Filed: 06/11/2009
• Issued: 08/28/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/13/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Richard A. Brandt
• Original Assignee: Richard A. Brandt
• Inventors: Brandt, Richard A.
• Primary Examiner(s): HUNTER, ALVIN A
• Application Number:
  US12/482,835
• Publication Number:
  US 20090312117A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,174 Days
• Field of Search: 473324-350
• US Class Current: 473/340
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2053/0491 with added weights, e.g. changeable, replaceable
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/007 Putters
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/04 Heads
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0487 for putters A63B53/065 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/02 Ballast means for adjusting the centre of mass A63B60/24, A63B60/54 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49764 with testing or indicating

Abstract

A putter head has a front that strikes a golf ball during putting, a length a, a width b, a weight W, and a moment of inertia I. The width extends along a horizontal width axis perpendicularly intersecting the front of the putter head. The length extends along a horizontal length axis perpendicularly intersecting the horizontal axis. The dimensions are, for example, a≦7 inches, b≦a, and I/Wa²>0.30.

Claims

1. A putter head for a putter, comprising:

a toe;

a heel;

a front that strikes a ball;

a back opposite the front;

a length a between the heel and toe;

a width b between the front and back;

a weight W;

a moment of inertia I about a vertical axis of a center of mass of the putter head;

wherein I/Wa²>

0.30; and

a plurality of loads interconnected by at least one connecting element, wherein each of the loads has a load width, and wherein a ratio of the width b to the load width is at least 8.

2. A putter head for a putter, comprising:

a toe;

a heel;

a front that strikes a ball;

a back opposite the front;

a length a between the heel and toe;

a width b between the front and back;

a weight W;

a moment of inertia I about a vertical axis of a center of mass of the putter head;

wherein I/Wa²>

0.30; and

wherein the putter head is of a rectangular shape with loads at two or more corners of the rectangular shape.

3. The putter head of claim 2 comprising vertically oriented connecting elements connecting the loads.

4. The putter head of claim 2 wherein w=0.125″

and h=1″

.

5. A putter head for a putter, comprising:

a toe;

a heel;

a front that strikes a ball;

a back opposite the front;

a length a between the heel and toe;

a width b between the front and back;

a weight W;

a moment of inertia I about a vertical axis of a center of mass of the putter head;

wherein I/Wa²>

0.30; and

wherein the putter head is of a triangular shape with loads at two or more corners of the triangular shape.

6. The putter head of claim 5 comprising vertically oriented connecting elements connecting the loads.

7. A putter head for a putter, comprising:

a toe;

a heel;

a front that strikes a ball;

a back opposite the front;

a length a between the heel and toe;

a width b between the front and back;

a weight W;

a moment of inertia I about a vertical axis of a center of mass of the putter head;

wherein I/Wa²>

0.30; and

wherein the putter head is of a T-shape with loads at two or more ends of arms of the T-shape.

8. The putter head of claim 7 wherein the loads include at least two back loads and a front load, and wherein the putter head further comprises:

at least one vertically oriented connecting element connecting the back loads and at least one horizontally oriented connecting element connecting the vertically oriented connecting element to the front load.

9. A putter head for a putter, comprising:

a toe;

a heel;

a front that strikes a ball;

a back opposite the front;

a length a between the heel and toe;

a width b between the front and back;

a weight W;

a moment of inertia I about a vertical axis of a center of mass of the putter head;

wherein I/Wa²>

0.30;

wherein the putter head includes only four loads, wherein each of the loads is placed at a corresponding corner of a substantially square shape, wherein each of the loads has a substantially triangular base and a height, and wherein the height s 2.5 inches; and

connecting elements interconnecting the four loads, wherein each of the connecting elements is vertically oriented having a length l, a height h, and a width w such that I>

h>

w, and wherein the length l of each of the connecting elements extends between a corresponding pair of the loads.

10. A putter head for a putter, comprising:

a toe;

a heel;

a front that strikes a ball;

a back opposite the front;

a length a between the heel and toe;

a width b between the front and back;

a weight W;

a moment of inertia I about a vertical axis of a center of mass of the putter head;

wherein I/Wa²>

0.30;

wherein the putter head includes only three loads, wherein two of the three loads are placed at corresponding corners along the back, wherein the third of the three loads is placed at the front of the putter head, wherein each of the back loads has a substantially triangular base and a height, and wherein the height ≦

2.5 inches; and

connecting elements interconnecting the three loads, wherein each of the connecting elements is vertically oriented having a length l, a height h, and a width w such that l>

h>

w,

and wherein the length l of one of the connecting elements extends between the two back loads.

11. The putter head of claim 10 wherein w=0.125″

and h=1″

.

12. A putter head for a putter, comprising:

a toe;

a heel;

a front that strikes a ball;

a back opposite the front;

a length a between the heel and toe;

a width b between the front and back;

a weight W;

a moment of inertia I about a vertical axis of a center of mass of the putter head;

wherein I/Wa²>

0.30;

wherein the includes only two loads, wherein one of the two loads is placed at a corner along the back at one of the toe and heel, wherein the other of the two loads is placed at a corner along the front at the other of the toe and heel, wherein each of the loads has a substantially triangular base and a height, and wherein the height ≦

2.5 inches; and

connecting elements interconnecting the two loads, wherein each of the connecting elements is vertically oriented having a length l, a height h, and a width w such that l>

h>

w, and wherein an end of the length l is connected to a corresponding load.

13. The putter head of claim 12 wherein w=0.125″

and h=1″

.

14. A putter, comprising:

a shaft;

a putter head coupled to the shaft, wherein the putter head comprises a front that strikes a golf ball during putting, wherein the putter head has a length a, a width b, a weight W, and a moment of inertia I, wherein the width b extends along a horizontal width axis perpendicularly intersecting the front of the putter head, wherein the length a extends along a horizontal length axis perpendicularly intersecting the horizontal axis, and wherein a≦

7 inches, b≦

a, and I/Wa²>

0.30; and

a plurality of loads interconnected by at least one connecting element, wherein the loads have a load density, wherein the connecting element has a connecting element density, wherein a ratio of the load density to the connecting element density is in the range of 3 to 8, wherein each of the loads has a load width and a load height, wherein a ratio of the load height to the load width is at least 3, wherein a ratio of the width b to the load width is at least 8, wherein a first of the loads is at the front and has a first weight, wherein a second of the loads is at the back and has a second weight, and wherein a ratio of the first weight to the second weight is in the range 1.0 to 1.5, inclusive.

15. A putter, comprising:

a shaft;

a putter head coupled to the shaft, wherein the putter head comprises a front that strikes a golf ball during putting, wherein the putter head has a length a, a width b, a weight W, and a moment of inertia I, wherein the width b extends along a horizontal width axis perpendicularly intersecting the front of the putter head, wherein the length a extends along a horizontal length axis perpendicularly intersecting the horizontal axis, and wherein a ≦

7 inches, b≦

a, and I/Wa²>

0.30;

wherein the putter head includes only four loads, wherein each of the loads is placed at a corresponding corner of a substantially square shape, wherein each of the loads has a substantially triangular base and a height, and wherein the height ≦

2.5 inches; and

connecting elements interconnecting the four loads, wherein each of the connecting elements is vertically oriented having a length l, a height h, and a width w such that l>

h>

w, wherein the length l of each of the connecting elements extends between a corresponding pair of the loads, and wherein w=0.125″ and

h=1″

.

16. A putter, comprising:

a shaft;

a putter head coupled to the shaft, wherein the putter head comprises a front that strikes a golf ball during putting, wherein the putter head has a length a, a width b, a weight W, and a moment of inertia 1, wherein the width b extends along a horizontal width axis perpendicularly intersecting the front of the putter head, wherein the length a extends along a horizontal length axis perpendicularly intersecting the horizontal axis, and wherein a ≦

7 inches, b≦

a, and I/Wa²>

0.30;

wherein the putter head includes only three loads, wherein two of the three loads are placed at corresponding corners along the back, wherein the third of the three loads is placed at the front of the putter head, wherein each of the back loads has a substantially triangular base and a height, and wherein the height ≦

2.5 inches; and

connecting elements interconnecting the three loads, wherein each of the connecting elements is vertically oriented having a length l, a height h, and a width w such that l>

h>

w, wherein the length l of each of the connecting elements extends between a corresponding pair of the loads, and wherein w=0.125″ and

h=1″

.

17. A putter, comprising:

a shaft;

a putter head coupled to the shaft, wherein the putter head comprises a front that strikes a golf ball during putting, wherein the putter head has a length a, a width b, a weight W, and a moment of inertia I, wherein the width b extends along a horizontal width axis perpendicularly intersecting the front of the putter head, wherein the length a extends along a horizontal length axis perpendicularly intersecting the horizontal axis, and wherein a ≦

7 inches, b≦

a, and I/Wa²>

0.30;

wherein the putter head includes only two loads, wherein one of the two loads is placed at a corner along the back at one of the toe and heel, wherein the other of the two loads is placed at a corner along the front at the other of the toe and heel, wherein each of the loads has a substantially triangular base and a height, and wherein the height ≦

2.5 inches; and

connecting elements interconnecting the two loads, wherein each of the connecting elements is vertically oriented having a length l, a height h, and a width w such that l>

h>

w, wherein an end of the length l is connected to a corresponding load, and wherein w=0.125″ and

h=1″

.